Growth is painful

I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering. Isaiah 48:10

Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them who are trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11

"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:2

Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6,7

Through Christ Jesus you have become rich in every way-in speech and knowledge of every kind. 

1 Corinthians 1:5

I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) Revelation 2:9

All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

For the nations of the world strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19


God Loves a Cheerful Giver
(Leviticus 22:17-33)

1Now about the service to the saints, there is no need for me to write to you. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise.

3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove empty, but that you will be prepared, just as I said. 4Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—to say nothing of you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the bountiful gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly.

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:

“He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor;

His righteousness endures forever.”a

10Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way to be generous on every occasion, and your giving through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

13Because of the proof this ministry provides, the saints will glorify God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all the others. 14And their prayers for you will express their affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

The LORD has made everything for its own purpose. He has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time

"What I'm doing you don't understand now, but afterward you will know."

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.

Proverbs 16:4, Ecclesiastes 3:11, John 13:7, Romans 8:18

Psalm 119

 You’re blessed when you stay on course,

walking steadily on the road revealed by God.

You’re blessed when you follow his directions,

doing your best to find him.

That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;

you walk straight along the road he set.

You, God, prescribed the right way to live;

now you expect us to live it.

Oh, that my steps might be steady,

keeping to the course you set;

Then I’d never have any regrets

in comparing my life with your counsel.

I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;

I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.

I’m going to do what you tell me to do;

don’t ever walk off and leave me.

By your endurance you will save your life.
Luke 21:19

35So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward. 36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. 37For,

“In just a little while,

He who is coming will come and will not delay.

38But My righteous one will live by faith;

and if he shrinks back,

I will take no pleasure in him.”

39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Hebrews 10:35-39

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world. John 16:33

God “will repay each one according to his deeds.”a 7To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.
Rom 2:6-7

Overcoming the World
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, 4because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

5Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ—not by water alone, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth. 7For there are three that testify: 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.
1 John 5:1-8

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Rom 8:37

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15

6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7

The Coming Day of Judgment
(John 1:6-13)
1“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.

2But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap.

3And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

4Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will please the LORD, as in days of old and years gone by.

5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.
Mal 3:1-5

For the Son of Man will come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done. Matthew 16:27

Love, Zeal, Hope, Hospitality
(John 13:31-35; 1 John 3:11-24)
9Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

11Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

13Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Forgiveness
(Matthew 18:21-35)

14Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

19Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”a

20On the contrary,

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him a drink.

For in so doing,

you will heap burning coals on his head.”b

21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Rom 12:9-21

Suffering brings us closer to God, that we may be changed more and more unto His image

Endure suffering to attain godliness

Dew of heaven

mercy, forgiveness, long-suffering, tenderness, meekness, gentleness, patience, love

"After that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."
1 Peter 5:10

You have seen the arch of heaven as it spans the plain: glorious are its colours, and rare its hues. It is beautiful, but, alas, it passes away, and lo, it is not. The fair colours give way to the fleecy clouds, and the sky is no longer brilliant with the tints of heaven. It is not established. How can it be? A glorious show made up of transitory sun-beams and passing rain-drops, how can it abide? The graces of the Christian character must not resemble the rainbow in its transitory beauty, but, on the contrary, must be stablished, settled, abiding. Seek, O believer, that every good thing you have may be an abiding thing. May your character not be a writing upon the sand, but an inscription upon the rock! May your faith be no "baseless fabric of a vision," but may it be builded of material able to endure that awful fire which shall consume the wood, hay, and stubble of the hypocrite. May you be rooted and grounded in love. May your convictions be deep, your love real, your desires earnest. May your whole life be so settled and established, that all the blasts of hell, and all the storms of earth shall never be able to remove you. But notice how this blessing of being "stablished in the faith" is gained. The apostle's words point us to suffering as the means employed--"After that ye have suffered awhile." It is of no use to hope that we shall be well rooted if no rough winds pass over us. Those old gnarlings on the root of the oak tree, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of the many storms that have swept over it, and they are also indicators of the depth into which the roots have forced their way. So the Christian is made strong, and firmly rooted by all the trials and storms of life. Shrink not then from the tempestuous winds of trial, but take comfort, believing that by their rough discipline God is fulfilling this benediction to you.

Psalm 30

You Turned My Mourning into Dancing

A Psalm. A Song for the dedication of the temple. Of David.

I will exalt You, O LORD,

for You have lifted me up

and have not allowed my foes

to rejoice over me.

2O LORD my God, I cried to You for help,

and You healed me.

3O LORD, You pulled me up from Sheol;

You spared me from descending into the Pit.

4Sing to the LORD, O you His saints,

and give thanks to His holy name.

5For His anger is fleeting,

but His favor lasts a lifetime.

Weeping may stay the night,

but joy comes in the morning.

6In prosperity I said,

“I will never be shaken.”

7O LORD, You favored me;

You made my mountain stand strong.

When You hid Your face,

I was dismayed.

8To You, O LORD, I called,

and I begged my Lord for mercy:

9“What gain is there in my bloodshed,

in my descent to the Pit?

Will the dust praise You?

Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?

10Hear me, O LORD, and have mercy;

O LORD, be my helper.”

11You turned my mourning into dancing;

You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent.

O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.

Repent.

The stars are there, even though you may not be able to see it.